Phonograph



Dec. 4, 1934.,

L. L. JONES PHON'OGRAPH 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 19, 1929 INVENTCR Lesrer L. Jones L. L. JONES Dec.- 4, 1934.

PHONOGRAPH Filed Feb. 19, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR L esrer L Jons Patented Dec. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I, PHONOGRAPH Lester LQones, Oradell, N. J. Application February 19, 1929, Serial No. 341,076

7 Claims. (01. 274-10) This invention relates to phonographs, more particularly to automatic or self-operating phonographs.

In automatic phonographs it is necessary to provide some means for bringing the phonograph reproducer and the record being played into and out of engagement at the beginning and end of the record, respectively. It is also necessary to discard the used record, and to load the record turntable with the next record to be played. Ordinarily the complete operation requires considerable time because the reproducer must be disengaged from the record and swung laterally out of the way of the record and record changing mechanism before the record changing operation can begin, and not until after the new record has been properly placed on the table can the reproducer be moved inward and finally downward into reproducing engagement with the new record.

In general, the object of my invention is to provide an automatic phonograph in which the record changing operation is greatly simplified and accelerated, and to this end I make the very act of disengaging and engaging the reproducer with the record a part of the record changing operation. One object of my invention, therefore, is to provide an appropriate method of disengaging the reproducer from the record, which I do by lowering the record out of contact with the reproducer, preferably by tilting or oscillating the record turntable downwardly about a horizontal axis. Conversely, I bring the record and reproducer into engagement, by raising the record, preferably by oscillating the turntable and record carried thereby upwardly to its horizontal or playing position, directly into contact with the reproducer. i

Ordinarily, when the record is disengaged from the reproducer, the latter is near the center of the record, whereas when the new record is raised the reproducer should be at the beginning or outer edge of the record. The necessary movement may be caused by gravity, or a spring, but I prefer to provide positively actuated means responsive to a downward oscillation of the table for causing an outward reciprocation of the reproducer. In one form this means comprises a cam on the horizontal shaft about which the turntable oscillates, and a cam follower connected to the reproducer arm, the cam being so shaped that a downward oscillation of the table causes an outward reciprocation of the reproducer. When the table is raised the cam and follower separate, and the reproducer is free to move inwards, but need not do so. Other known mechanisms which are positively actuated in only one direction may equally well be used.

It is essential that the reproducer needle start in the first sound grooves of the record, and to attain this condition is a further object of my invention, which I fulfill by positioning the reproducer needle at a point just inside the periphery, that is, between the periphery and the first sound grooves, of the record when the record is in playing position, elevating the turntable and the record carried thereby into contact with the needle, and thereafter gently moving the reproducer laterally toward the sound grooves in the record. A specific form of apparatus for the practice of this method includes a horizontally and vertically reciprocal reproducer equipped with a support arranged to prevent the reproducer arm from dropping more than slightly lower than its normal playing position, means for urging the reproducer inwardly as the table is raised, and a roller riding on the periphery of a record carried by the table and having a stop for arresting inward motion of the reproducer at a point just inside the periphery of the record. The stop is effective while the reproducer is resting on the support, but it is so arranged that the slight upward movement of the reproducer from the support caused by the record being brought into contact with the reproducer needle releases or lifts the reproducer over the stop, permitting it to move into the sound grooves on the record. The reproducer stylus. and the blank peripheral margin of the record are preferably brought into contact at a point on the record having a tangent which is at an angle inward or toward the record relative to a line normal to the direction of reproducer travel.

For a complete description of a phonograph constructed in accordance with my invention reference may also be made to my copending applications Serial Numbers 341,077 and 341,078, filed concurrently herewith. A specific form of the present portion of my invention is described in greater detail in the following specification, which is accompanied by drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partially sectioned elevation show ing the general arrangement schematically;

Fig. 2 is an elevation taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 illustrates in plan the starting of a new record;

Fig. 4 is a similar view taken during the playing of the record;

Fig. 5 is a detailed elevation of the starting conditions shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a detailed elevation of the parts in the playing relation shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig 1, there is a record turntable 2, driven through a turntable shaft 4- by a driving motor 6. The turntable and motor as semblage is supported by a horizontal shaft or trunnions 8, supported in bearings 10, mounted on pedestals 12. I

A reproducer 14 is fixed at one end of a reproducer arm 16, which is pivoted at 18 for vertical reciprocation, and is mounted on a vertical shaft 20 for horizontal reciprocation, The shaft 20 is rotatably supported within a fixed bearing sleeve 22, at the upper end of which there is mounted a support 24 which prevents downward movement of the reproducer arm 16 at a point slightly below its normal playing position.

For the record changing operation the table 2 is oscillated to the position 2 shown in dotted lines, and in proper time sequence the ejector arms 30 are moved against the record to dislodge it from the centering pin 32, and drop it into a discard magazine 34. A record storage magazine 36 is provided, having separating means 38 for separating the innermost record. in the magazine from the stack, and moving it into position to be picked up by the centering pin 32 during its upward oscillation.

During the downward oscillation of the table a cam 40, fixed to the shaft 8, also is rotated and through a. cam follower 42 causes the reproducer 14 to swing outward against a torsional spring 44 arranged to urge it inward. When the table is elevated the reproducer tends to again swing inward, but is arrested by a stop which, in order not to obscure the drawings, was omitted in Fig. i.

It is clearly shown in Fig. 2, referring to which it will be seen that this stop, numbered 58, is carried by or is an extension of the shaft of a roller 50, rotatably mounted on a support 52, pivoted at 56, about which it is yieldably urged toward the periphery of the record and record table by means of a torsional spring 54. When the table 2 is tilted downwardly about the 13111111310118 8 the stop 58 moves clockwise about the pintle 56, and meanwhile the rotation of the cam 40 against the follower 42 causes the reproducer 14 to swing outwardly and over the stop 58 and the wheel 50.

Attention is now directed to Fig. 3, in which it will be seen that the table 2', in being restored to: its horizontal position 2, carries the record thereon into contact with the stop wheel 50' and moves it outward to the position shown at 50. The reproducer 14 is not free to move inward during the first part of the upward oscillation of the table because of the restraining action of the cam 40, shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the reproducer is free to move inwards a catch 60 attached thereto engages the stop 58 of the wheel 50, which positions the reproducer at a point just inside the periphery and outside the first sound grooves of the record. This adjustment is independent of the diameter of the record because the roller 50 moves to accommodate the particular record about to be played, and the reproducer position is relative to the periphery of the record.

Fig. 5 illustrates the turntable 2 in a slightly tilted position during its upward oscillation,.

and shows how the reproducer arm 16 rests against the support 24 with just enough allowed depression for the catch 60 to engage the stop 58. As the table 2 is raised completely into the horizontal position shown in Fig. 6, the record carried thereby contacts with the needle of the reproducer 14 'and lifts the reproducer and arm off the support 24 sufficiently to let the catch 60 clear the stop 58, whereupon the reproducer is moved inward to the first sound grooves, as by the torsional spring 44 indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

"As is very clearly illustrated in Figs. 1, and 3 through 6, the reproducer arm 16 is longer than customary, for a predetermined fixed center of oscillation 22, thereby causing the distance between the center of oscillation 22 and the reproducer stylus to be greater than the distance between the center of oscillation and that are of travel which would most nearly coincide with a radius of the record- In consequence of this the reproducer 14 is brought into contact with the blank margin of the record 2 at a point on the record having a movement toward a center line of the record normal to the direction of reproducer travel or, differently expressed, at a point on the record the tangent to which is at a substantial angle inward or toward the record relative to a line through the reproducer and normal to the direction of reproducer travel. The reproducer 14 is permitted horizontal reciprocation by being supported on an oscillatable reproducer arm 16, and with such a support the characteristic now being considered may be more aptly expressed by saying that the reproducer and the margin of the record are brought into contact at a point the tangent to which is directed inwardly at a substantial angle with respect to a line passing through the reproducer stylus and the center of oscillation 22 of the reproducer arm 16. It will be clear that in consequence of this arrangement the frictional drag of the record margin on the reproducer stylus has a component which is directed inwardly or toward the sound grooves of the record.

Fig. 4 shows the normal playing conditions in plan, the catch 60 on the reproducer 14 having been released from the stop 58 on the wheel 50, which then rides idly against the periphery of the record.

From the foregoing description, it is evident that by disengaging the record being played from the reproducer needle through simply lowering the turntable away from the reproducer, and bringing them into contact by raising the tumtable, considerable time is saved, especially since these movements of the turntable are anyway a part of the record changing operation, so that in efiect no extra time is consumed for disengaging, reciprocating, and again engaging the reproducer with the record.

It will be apparent that while I have shown and described my invention in the preferred form, many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. An automatic phonograph comprising va horizontally reciprocable reproducer, a record turntable, means permitting movement of the table toward and from the reproducer in order to bring the surface of a record supported thereby directly into or out of operative engagement with the reproducer stylus, and means responessee? sive to a downward movement of the tableior then only generating a force which causes an outward movement of the-reproducer.

2. An automatic phonograph comprising a record turntable, means permitting oscillation of the table about a horizontal shaft, a horia zontally reciprocable reproducer, and a separa ble cam and cam follower operatively connecting the reproducer and shaft," the cam"being so shaped that a downward movement of'the table causes an outward, movement of the reproducer.

3. An automatic phonograph comprising a record turntable, a horizontally reciprocable reproducer, means urging the reproducer inwardly, stop means to prevent motion of the reproducer at a small distance within the periphery of a record about to be played, and means to bring the record and reproducer into contact and to make the stop means inoperative when the record and reproducer are in contact.

4. An automatic phonograph comprising ahorizontally and slightly vertically reciprocable reproducer, a record turntable, means permitting movement of the table toward and from the reproducer in order to bring a record carried thereby into operative engagement with the reproducer, resilient means urging the reproducer inwardly, a stop for arresting the inward motion of the reproducer at a point just inside the periphery of the record, said stop being so arranged that a slight upward motion of the reproducer caused by the record coming into contact therewith releases the reproducer and permits it to move into the sound grooves on the record.

5. An automatic phonograph comprising a horizontally reciprocable reproducer, a record turntable, means permitting movement of the table toward and from the reproducer in order to bring a record carried thereby into or out of operative engagement with the reproducer, means responsive to a downward movement of the table for causing outward movement of the reproducer, means yieldably urging the reproducer inwardly, and means to stop the inward motion of thereproducer at a" small distance from the periphery of 'a record carried by the table during its upward movement, said stop means being inoperative when the record is brought into contact with the reproducer.

6. An automatic phonograph comprising a horizontally and vertically reciprocable reproducer, a support arranged to prevent the reproducer from dropping more than slightly lower than its normal playing position, a record turn table, means permitting movement of the table toward and from the reproducer in order to bring a record carried thereby'into or out of operative engagement with the reproducer, means responsive to a downward movement of the table for moving the reproducer outwardly, means urging the reproducer inwardly when the table is moved upwardly, a stop for arresting inward motion of the reproducer at a point just inside the periphery of the record while the reproducer is resting on the support, said stop being so arranged that the slight upward movement by the reproducer from the support caused by the record coming into contact with the reproducer needle releases the reproducer and'permits it to move into the sound grooves on the record.

'7. An automatic phonograph comprising a horizontally and slightly vertically reciprocable reproducer, a record turntable, means permitting oscillation of the table about a horizontal shaft,

a cam and cam followerarranged to move the reproducer outwardly in response to a downward movement of the table, means yieldably urging the reproducer inwardly when the table is moved upwardly, a roller riding on the periphery of a record carried by the table and having a stop for arresting inward motion of the reproducer at a point just inside the periphery of the record, regardless of its diameter, said stop being so arranged that a slight upward motion of the reproducer caused by the record coming into contact therewith releases the reproducer and permits it to move into the sound grooves on the record.

LESTER L. JONES.

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